The subject matter described herein relates to communication systems.
At least some known communication systems include electrical connector assemblies, such as input/output (I/O) connector assemblies, that are configured to receive a pluggable module and establish a communicative connection between the pluggable module and an electrical connector of the electrical connector assembly. As one example, a known receptacle assembly includes a cage that is mounted to a circuit board and configured to receive a small form-factor (SFP) pluggable transceiver. The receptacle assembly includes an elongated cavity that extends between an opening of the cavity and an electrical connector that is disposed within the cavity and mounted to the circuit board. The pluggable module is inserted through the opening and advanced toward the electrical connector in the cavity. The pluggable module and the electrical connector have respective electrical contacts that engage one another to establish a communicative connection. Conventional communication systems may include multiple cavities and communication connectors for mating with multiple pluggable modules.
Challenges often encountered in the design of the communication system involve dissipating heat generated during operation of the communication system and minimizing electromagnetic interference (EMI), as both heat and EMI negatively affect module/system reliability and electrical performance. Heat dissipation is often accomplished by airflow through the components; however, airflow in some systems may be inadequate, such as due to tight space constraints. Some communication systems utilize heat sinks to dissipate heat from the pluggable modules, however, such heat sinks are typically arranged along the top of the cage and increase the overall size of the communication system, which may be undesirable. Additionally, such heat sinks are typically in direct thermal communication with only the pluggable module in the top port of the cage, leaving the pluggable module in the bottom port of multi-port cages without a direct thermal pathway to the heat sink. Providing effective heat removal from high speed pluggable modules has been problematic.
Accordingly, there is a need to improve heat removal from pluggable modules in caged electrical connector assemblies.